As we near the midway point of February, talk of March Madness is getting louder. With just a few weeks left in the regular season, teams around the nation are jockeying to land a spot in the top 25 and an automatic bid to the tournament.
But who are the best women’s teams in the nation right now? Our new college basketball rankings look to answer that question, as of Feb. 12, 2026.
25. Tennessee (LW: 20)
Kim Caldwell’s Tennessee squad boasts a crew that features four different players averaging 11 points or more per night, including junior Talaysia Cooper. The talented guard leads the team in scoring (14.6), assists (4.0), and steals (3.0)
The 15-6 Lady Vols took a seven-game win streak through January. However, February has been a rough month after they’ve lost three of their last four, including to UConn and South Carolina.
24. Princeton (LW: 21)
Like the men’s team, Princeton’s women’s squad continues to be a consistently competitive program. However, head coach Carla Berube may have her best team yet after the Tigers started the season 19-2. While the team lacks size, they have gotten some really good play from a bunch of talented players in their backcourt.
Leading the way in 2026 is Madison St. Rose (16.4 points and 4.9 rebounds a night). But junior Fadima Tall (12.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.0 steals a night) has also played a key role in their emergence as a top 25 program this season.
The big question is, can they hang with other teams in the college basketball rankings? In their one matchup against a ranked team, they were soundly beaten by Maryland in November.
23. Kentucky (LW: 19)
Year two for Kentucky head coach Kenny Brooks is off to a rock-solid start, with the Wildcats owning an 18-7 record as we head into the weekend. Big Ws over Louisville and LSU are why they are deserving of a spot in our latest college basketball rankings.
Junior Clara Strack leads the team with 16.0 points and 10.5 boards nightly. However, despite her best efforts, they have lost five of their last six, including to Vanderbilt and Texas. It is why they fall to the back of our new top 25.
22. Iowa State (LW: UR)
Legendary Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly has another solid team in 2026. A major reason is the nation’s best inside scorer, Audi Crooks. The junior has gotten on the radar of WNBA Draft scouts by posting a career high 25.5 points while shooting an impressive 66.0% from the field.
The Cyclones looked like a dangerous team early in the season, but the loss of Addy Brown since January knocked them out of the top 10 and then the college basketball rankings altogether recently. However, they have been better over the last couple of weeks. Winning five of their last six, including against Texas Tech.
21. Maryland (LW: 23)
Maryland owns a rock-solid 19-6 record due to some great play from their quartet of guards. The group features WNBA Draft prospect Yarden Garzon, but is led by junior Oluchi Okananwa, who is posting 17.2 points and 5.4 rebounds a night.
The Big Ten squad is a force on offense (83.1 PPG). However, they have struggled big-time over the last few weeks, losing four of their last six. If not for a big win last week against Michigan State, they might have fallen out of our top 25.
20. North Carolina (LW: 22)
In 2024-25, North Carolina had their best year yet under coach Courtney Banghart, when it posted 29 wins and went to the regional semis. The Tar Heels are again a force in the ACC this season due to the trio of Nyla Harris, Ciera Toomey, and Indya Nivar. They are combining for over 30 points and close to 20 boards a night.
While UNC hit some bumps in the road in December and early January, they have gotten on a roll of late, winning seven straight.
19. West Virginia (LW: 24)
Since arriving in 2023, West Virginia head coach Mark Kellogg has turned the Mountaineers into a prominent team in the Big 12. They have back-to-back 25-win seasons and are in position to do it for a third straight year as they head into the weekend with a 21-5 record.
They have worked their way into the top 25 due to a formidable offense that boasts four players scoring 11 or more points a night. The big knock against the Mountaineers is their struggles against ranked teams. However, they got a much-needed win over Baylor to begin the month.
18. Alabama (LW: 18)
Head coach Kristy Curry has her Alabama team off to a rock-solid 20-5 start and in position for a fourth straight trip to the tournament next month. And it is mostly due to the great play from the big and small combo of Jessica Timmons and Essence Cody. The pair leads the team in scoring (16.4 and 12.4 points, respectively), and are chipping in with 9 combined rebounds a night.
Yet, for as good as the Crimson Tide can be, they have been inconsistent against ranked teams this season. It’s why they land in the back half of our new college basketball rankings.
17. Ole Miss (LW: 14)
Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin looks to have another good Ole Miss squad on her hands in 2026 as the Rebels head into the weekend with a 19-5 record. The biggest reason for their positive start is the dynamic play of senior forwards Cotie McMahon and Christeen Iwuala.
Not only are they leading the team in scoring (19.8 and 13.7 PPG, respectively), but they also have been reliable on the boards, combining for over 16 a night. Yet, for as good as the duo is, the Rebels have been an inconsistent group over the last month and a half, going 5-3 since Jan. 4.
16. Oklahoma (LW: 13)
Following an early-season loss to UCLA, Jennie Baranczyk’s Oklahoma team got on a roll and won 13 straight. The Sooners did it with an offense that is scoring 88.0 PPG — fourth in the nation — due to impressive play from freshman Aaliyah Chavez (18.3 points) and senior center Raegan Beers (16.2 points and 10.7 rebounds).
However, they fell out of the top 10 recently after coming up short in five matchups against ranked teams over the last month, including against Texas and Vanderbilt in their last two.
15. Iowa (LW: 9)
Although Iowa took a step back last season — its first in four years without Caitlin Clark and legendary coach Lisa Bluder — year two for coach Jan Jensen has been better than some expected as they head into the weekend with a 19-5 record.
Leading the way are sophomore Ava Heiden (16.4 points and 7.2 boards) and senior Hannah Stuelke (14.0 points and 8.9 rebounds). However, the Hawkeyes have fallen in our recent college basketball rankings after losing three of their last four, including to USC and Minnesota.
14. Michigan State (LW: 12)
Michigan State has been a good team all season because of a top 10 offense that is putting up 85.3 points a night. And it has been spearheaded by star senior Grace Vanslooten.
The forward is first on the team in scoring (15.2 PPG) and blocks (1.0) and is second in rebounds (6.7). She is part of a talented big and small duo with Kennedy Blair (13.6 PPG and 5.4 APG). However, the team has struggled in recent weeks, losing five of its last seven, including to Michigan and Maryland last week.
13. TCU (LW: 11)
TCU is off to a 21-4 start, partially from what seniors Marta Suarez (15.9 points and 6.8 rebounds) and Olivia Miles (19.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 6.7assists) are doing on offense. However, the Horned Frogs’ defense, which is giving up 55.3 points a night, is why they have been a top 25 team all season.
After winning 34 games and reaching the regional final last year, Mark Campbell’s team is hoping to continue that momentum. However, all four of their losses this season have come since the calendar switched to 2026. Which does not bode well for their chances of a deep run in the tournament.
12. Michigan (LW: 10)
Like the men’s team, Michigan’s women’s basketball program is among the nation’s elite scoring teams this season (86.9 PPG). It is due to a quartet of guards all averaging 10 or more points a night. But the best of the bunch is uber-talented sophomore Olivia Olson, who leads the team in scoring at 18.8 PPG, and is adding 5.9 boards and 1.8 steals a night.
The team’s four losses have come against ranked teams, including UCLA this week. It is why the 20-4 team lands near the back of our latest top-10.
11. Texas Tech (LW: 16)
In year six, Texas Tech coach Krista Gerlich may have her best team yet after the Lady Raiders began the year 19-0. That start was due to the impressive play of veteran guards Snudda Collins, Bailey Maupin, and Jalynn Bristow.
The trio is posting over 40 points and 14 boards a night. However, their once formidable defense has faltered in the new year, leading to all three of their losses this season coming in January. However, they have played better this month, scoring a win over TCU.
10. Baylor (LW: 15)
Baylor opened the year with a big win over Duke and has, for the most part, continued that momentum into the final month of the regular season. They enter the weekend with a 21-4 record and have gotten strong play from sophomore Taliah Scott (20.3 PPG) and senior forward Darianna Littlepage-Buggs (10.7 points and 10.8 boards a night).
The Bears recently won eight straight, including a key victory over Iowa State. However, a setback last week against West Virginia derailed that hot streak.
9. Louisville (LW: 6)
Laura Ziegler and Taijiana Roberts have been the top stars for Louisville this season (combining for over 23 points a night), and the duo is a major reason why the Cardinals own a 22-4 record heading into the weekend.
While the Cardinals have four losses, they have all come against ranked teams, including Duke last week. However, they also have victories over four ranked programs, and it’s why they are among the top 10 teams in the country.
8. Duke (LW: 17)
Duke head coach Kara Lawson has done a great job of turning the program into a conference title contender over the last six years. And she has her 18-6 team in position for a fourth straight trip to the tournament next month.
A major reason for another good season in Durham is the performance of sophomore Toby Fournier. The forward leads the Blue Devils in points (18.0), rebounds (7.8), and blocks (2.2). After some early-season struggles, including a four-game losing skid, Duke has caught fire in recent weeks, winning 15-straight, including a key win over Louisville last week.
7. Ohio State (LW: 8)
Sophomore Jaloni Cambridge (22.5 PPG) leads an Ohio State team that has been quite good on offense this season (83.8 PPG). While they have a loss to UConn on their resume, the 13th-best scoring team in the country enters the weekend with an impressive 22-3 record.
Along with the play of Cambridge, senior Chance Gray has provided a reliable secondary scoring threat (13.6 PPG), and Kylee Kitts has emerged as a consistent double-double threat. They have slowly evolved into a top-10 team this season, due to big wins over Maryland, TCU, and Washington last week.
6. LSU (LW: 4)
Kim Mulkey’s LSU team is on the verge of winning 30 or more games for a fourth straight year, for the first time since the 2000s. A major reason why is the strong play of guards Milaysia Fulwiley and Flau’Jae Johnson.
The combo combines for close to 30 points a night and spearheads the No. 1 scoring unit in the nation (96.6 PPG). January losses to Kentucky and Vanderbilt created doubt about their potential. However, they have won eight of their last nine, including splitting their two games against Texas.
5. Vanderbilt (LW: 7)
Led by Player of the Year contender Mikayla Blakes (25.9 PPG), Vanderbilt is a top team in the country after a 23-2 start. Beyond Blakes (the No. 1 scorer in the nation), the Commodores are getting a big year from freshman guard Aubrey Galvan, who is posting 12.6 points, 3.1 boards, and 6.0 assists a night. The duo front an offense scoring the eighth most points in the nation (85.4 PPG).
A pair of decisive January losses to South Carolina and Ole Miss dropped them in the rankings and ended a 20-game win streak. However, Vandy has bounced back this month with two huge wins over top 25 schools, Kentucky and Oklahoma.
4. Texas (LW: 5)
Vic Schaefer has turned Texas into a yearly powerhouse in the SEC, and the 2026 edition is on track to be the first to win 30 or more games in three straight seasons for the first time since the ’80s. A major reason why is the impressive output of Player of the Year contender Madison Booker.
The program’s top star leads the team in scoring (18.6) and rebounds (6.6), and is second in assists (4.0) and steals (2.4). She and talented point guard Rori Harmon (the team’s leader in assists and steals) lead a Longhorns offense that is fifth in the nation with 86.9 PPG, and is a major reason why they own a 23-2 record heading into the weekend.
3. South Carolina (LW: 3)
Dawn Staley once again has another elite South Carolina team in 2026. While stars like Ta’Niya Latson and Madina Okot are getting WNBA Draft buzz, sophomore Joyce Edwards has stolen the show this season by leading the program in scoring (20.3) and steals (1.9).
Losses to top 10 programs, Texas and Oklahoma, are the lone blemishes on their 24-2 record. The No. 3 scoring team in the nation (88.1 PPG) has victories over five ranked schools, including Tennessee this week.
2. UCLA (LW: 2)
Besides a November setback to fellow top 10 program Texas, UCLA has been outstanding on its journey to posting a 23-1 record heading into the weekend. The program has several players who could be top 20 picks in this year’s WNBA Draft, including No. 1 pick favorite Lauren Betts.
Their strong play has been led by big seasons from senior guard Kiki Rice and Betts. The pair is combining for over 30 points, 15 boards, 7 assists, and 3 steals a night. They lead a formidable offense that is posting 86.0 PPG, which is the seventh-best in the country.
1. UConn (LW: 1)
Geno Auriemma and UConn are, unsurprisingly, primed to win it all again this March. The Big East’s greatest program remains undefeated at 25-0, which includes victories over Michigan and Tennessee.
While they lost Paige Bueckers to the WNBA Draft, they haven’t missed a beat due to the strong play (pun intended) of senior guard Azzi Fudd and sophomore forward Sarah Strong. The duo is combining for close to 40 points and 8 assists a night and leads the No. 2 offense in the nation (89.8 PPG).
However, they are the undisputed top team in the nation because of a defense that is giving up just 50.6 PPG, which is No. 1 in the country.
